Deception
by onyxskiesahead443
Summary: "I, Thrushstar, leader of ThunderClan hereby exile you, Darkpelt, for the murder of your Clanmate and my sister, Silverclaw. I strip you of your warrior name of Darkpelt," Thrushstar looked down on the nameless warrior. "I give you the rouge name of Dark. Now, leave my territory immediately. If you are seen here after sunset, you will be killed."


"You rat!" a striped paw came down onto a black face. "You horrible pile of fox dung!" It came down again, and again.

The black cat did nothing as it was beaten, nor did any of the watching cats. "You killed her! Its your fault she died!"

"No!" The black cat suddenly jumped up and kicked out his back paws and he spun, kicking the brown tabby away, and that's when a black spotted white tom stepped forward. "That is enough, both of you." He turned to the tabby, lying winded a few tail-lengths away, "Dogstripe, we understand your grief." He nodded to the silver she-cat lying dead in the center of the camp, her neck bent horribly. "Silverclaw was an amazing warrior and she was almost an amazing mother. But StarClan has declared otherwise." He then turned to the black tom; "Darkpelt." He began, "As great a warrior you are, you killed this cat."

"It was an accident, Thrushstar, please, you've got to believe me!"

Thrushstar looked him in the eye and replied slowly, "Silverclaw was my sister, Darkpelt. I loved her, and I would've loved her kits as well, but you killed her, my only littermate left, in a battle against RiverClan." He took a deep breath and stalked through the Greenleaf grass that had overtaken the camp to stand nose-to-nose with Darkpelt. "I saw you. Dogstripe saw you, and Poppypetal saw you. You jumped off a sunningrock and snapped her neck with your own paws, yet you expect me to believe that you did so on _accident?_"

Darkpelt dropped his head. "She smelled of RiverClan, I thought she was an enemy warrior."

Dogstripe scoffed, but said nothing as he dragged his paws to lie beside his mate.

Darkpelt hesitated then padded next to him. "I loved her once too, Dogstripe."

Dogstripe froze for a slit second, and then lashed out his paw once more, slicing open his lip.

"Argh!" Darkpelt yowled in pain, raising his paw to press against his bleeding lip.

"Is that why you killed her?" Dogstripe lashed his tail as he hissed. "Did you kill her because she left you for me?"

"No!" Darkpelt answered through his pain.

"Then you did kill her on purpose!"

"No!" Darkpelt hissed again. "I smelled RiverClan!"

Then another voice spoke from the crowd. "You know what I think?" It was Spottedvine, Silverclaw's best friend. "I think you meant to kill her. I think you're a RiverClan spy!"

"No, I'm a loyal ThunderClan warrior!" Darkpelt protected again and again, but it seemed that less and less of his Clanmates took his side. "…No…" He murmured, and felt his legs give way.

Thrushstar walked to where he stood over the injured warrior. "Darkpelt, you must be punished. But, I have to be fair." He yowled for silence, "Those who think Darkpelt is innocent go to the left, and those who think he is guilty go to the right."

Darkpelt closed his eyes as he saw only his brother, Nightear go to the left. "I'm sorry, Darkpelt."

"I, Thrushstar, leader of ThunderClan hereby exile you, Darkpelt, for the murder of your Clanmate and my sister, Silverclaw. I strip you of your warrior name of Darkpelt," Thrushstar looked down on the nameless warrior. "I give you the rouge name of Dark. Now, leave my territory immediately. If you are seen here after sunset, you will be killed."

Dark got up shakily, and bowed. "Yes, Thrushstar." He turned to the thorn tunnel out of the camp, and limped out. _Where can I go?_ He asked himself when he exited the camp, _twoleg place, maybe? _No, he could never be a kittypet, and what twoleg would want a scarred cat?

_Highstones? _He pondered, _would StarClan talk to me, or do they think I'm a killer too? _Dark nodded, that's where he would go.

The sun was almost down, but Dark was still in ThunderClan. He raced pass the copse of pines where he was taught to hunt, he ran past the stream where he fell in when he was play-fighting his brother. Why had things changed? Why did he have to leave his home for a crime he didn't commit?

He had killed her. He would never be rid of that blood on his paws, but it was an honest mistake. She smelled like RiverClan, and her fur was wet like the warriors coming from the river.

Then a horrifyingly familiar scent drifted from behind him. _Oh, StarClan, no. _"There he is, get him!" _Dogstripe. _

He didn't look back; he was too close to the border to get caught now! He heard Dogstripe's battle yowl, and felt claws in his fur as his full weight landed on his shoulders. Dark collapsed under the weight, and felt teeth meet in his neck, the death bite. Gathering what strength he had left in his body, he rolled over, and pressed Dogstripe into the dirt. "Her death was an accident." He insisted, but Dogstripe just hissed as he clawed Dark's belly. "Lies! You we're jealous of our love!" He taunted as Dark jumped away, "No." Dark denied his accusation, "I was no longer in love with her. I was looking at Spottedvine for my mate, but she showed her feelings today."

Dogstripe only bared his teeth and lunged forward.

Dark turned around and raced for the border, Dogstripe's claws only tearing a bit of fur from his tail. Dark raced, no longer needing to dodge trees. He made a sharp turn, and felt an explosion of pain race up his spine as Dogstripe's teeth met in his tail. There! Fourtrees loomed just a few fox-lengths infront of him, Dogstripe couldn't hurt him after he exited ThunderClan territory!

"No!" Dogstripe yowled his grief as Dark raced straight through the hollow, and right into WindClan territory.

Dark panted as he slowed down. He stopped and examined his wounds. He looked at his pads; sore and bleeding. One had a large thorn in it, the pain from it kicked in and Dark groaned. Swiping his tongue over his lips, he felt the slice in his lip, and a fresh wave of blood dripped from the wound. He brought his tail up to see that only a bit of fur was missing. He then looked at his belly to see small scratches bleeding sluggishly. _I need a medicine cat, _he thought. He put his paw down and winced as he limped forward. _At least there aren't any patrols here._ "Halt!" _Foxdung._

He looked ahead to see a patrol headed by a light ginger she-cat, Racestar, the leader of WindClan, "Who goes there?" She demanded.

"Just a passing rogue. My name is Dark." He answered. _I hope those plants I rolled in helped hide my Clan scent._

"Oh, a rogue." Her tone became light, "You look horrible, what happened to you?" She asked.

"I was attacked by some cats back there," He flicked his tail in the direction of ThunderClan.

"ThunderClan," she spat; "A bunch of savages."

Dark nodded slowly fighting not to be offended by the insult to his _ex-_Clan. "Apparently." He said, and then paused, "You won't do the same, will you?"

To his relief the WindClan leader shook her head. "No. WindClan welcomes those who need help. Would you like some healing herbs and a place to sleep tonight? I'm sure our elders would love a few stories of yours."

Dark nodded, "I appreciate it-." He cut himself off before he said Racestar- how would a rogue know the name of a Clan cat?

"Racestar." She answered then gestured to the tan tabby tom behind her, "This is my deputy, Gorseheart." Then nodded to a gray-and-ginger she-cat, "And my sister, Sorrelfeather."

Dark nodded, _how would a rogue respond to this?_

"Strange names." He commented.

"A kit is named a single word by her mother and as she learns hunting and fighting skills she earns the suffix –paw and then the full name, like Gorse_heart _or Sorrel_feather_."

Dark nodded. "I see."

"Follow us," Racestar ordered, "We aren't too far from camp."

Dark limped on behind, looking around the open territory of WindClan. He had been here once before, when he made his journey to Highstones as an apprentice, but that was a long time ago. He was a senior warrior- no, he was a rogue, and he would never be a warrior again.

The next few minutes were spent as Racestar told him of the great WindClan, and why they welcomed rogues when other Clans didn't.

"Once, a leaf-bare long ago, our clan was struck by a fire. It burned out the grass, and our camp was left unguarded and cold. What little prey we could find was skinny and scorched. We were ill with green-cough, and few of us were fit to hunt. That's when a group of rogues found us; they were travellers, like you. Their names were Marry, Ferret, Scorch, Brindle, and Sir. They helped our medicine cat heal our sick by fetching herbs and hunting. They left when we were strong again, all but Scorch. Scorch loved the Clan and the Warrior Code. He became a great warrior, Scorchbreeze." She was quiet for a moment; "He even became leader for many seasons. He was our leader when ThunderClan's leader was Featherstar."

_Featherstar was my grandmother's mother._

"He taught the clan that not all outsiders were not to be trusted, he welcomed rogues and loners. He helped them and they helped us. We have carried on his compassion on and on for generations, never to be forgotten."

Dark looked down. He had never heard the story.

_Rogues taken into a Clan? Maybe…maybe I _can _be a warrior again! _But, he thought, _I still killed Silverclaw, and I will never be Darkpelt again._

"So, Dark, was it?" Racestar picked up again, "Why are you here? Just travelling, or are you looking for something in particular?"

"Oh, um…" Would it be better to lie, or tell the truth here? "I wish to see the Moonstone."

Sorrelfeather hissed, "That is a sacred place!"

"What have you heard of it?" Racestar asked cautiously.

"That it shines beautifully of the moon and that the deceased dwell there."

"Not true." Racestar said, "You have heard exaggerations, my friend. It is simply an underground tunnel."

_They're trying to disinterest me!_

"I still wish to visit, I have seen many things, and I wish to see more." Dark lied.

Racestar's fur bristled. "Very well."

_Was that anger?_

"I had a dream sending me there." Dark lied again.

The cats halted, and Dark was thankful for the temporary stop.

"You did?" Gorseheart asked, "Really?"

Dark nodded.

No more was said as they continued their trip to the WindClan camp.

"Here we are."

Dark looked to see a dip in the moor, sheltered by long grasses and bushes. "This is your camp?" He looked again, no trees for shelter, how did they stay dry during storms?

Racestar seemed to understand his confusion as she explained; "We don't like being cooped up, stuck away from our view of silver pelt. We have dens under bushes and stone, and we even have a few underground burrows for really bad weather."

Dark nodded before they plunged down into the camp.

"Racestar is back!" A few kits raced up to the leader, "Did you fight ThunderClan?"

"Did you bring us a rabbit?" Another asked.

Racestar purred, "No, kits. Your mother will get you supper."

"Who's this? A ThunderClan spy?" The third kit took a very unstable fighting stance infront of Dark, "We'll chase him out!" The other two kits yowled and jumped on top of him.

"Stop that, you three." Racestar laughed, "He isn't ThunderClan. Dark here is a rogue that has come to stay and share for a while."

Many cats gathered around to greet him, and fussed over his scratches.

One cat in particular stood up and came over. "This is our medicine cat, Littlewillow." Littlewillow bowed to her leader and mewed a greeting to Dark. "You don't look good. These can become infected easily. I'll be back with some herbs."

It took a while, but the herbs soothed the stinging and burning from his pelt. Seeing Racestar he hobbled over to sit by her. "It's very nice. Your clan, I mean."

Racestar's eyes shone. "I work hard to build it and keep it together, but it is so rewarding." He followed her gaze to a pale cream tabby, Birdtail, the mother of the three kits that jumped him, Featherkit, Runningkit, and Breezekit. "I wish I could settle into the nursery like my sister sometimes." Racestar confessed, "But I have a job to do."

Dark looked at her silently. _She's leader, _he thought, _surely she can take a mate if she wishes?_ Dark was unsure of what to say, "I think you'd make a wonderful mother."

Racestar purred. "Maybe I would, maybe I wouldn't, but it's against the code. I must put my clan above any other cat."

Dark knew that, of course. _I have to sound like a rogue._

Dark and Racestar sat side-by-side for quite a while longer, before Gorseheart called her away to speak in her den. Dark stood up, his limps aching from his race away from his former home. _I wonder where I'll sleep? Didn't Racestar say something about the elders' den?_

A scraggly gray she-cat with a faded white muzzle walked over to Dark, a friendly spark in her eyes. "Hello, stranger." She said, "As the sun goes down the clan tells stories 'til moonhigh. Will you join us with a tale of your own?"

Dark felt his fur prickle with unease. "Of course," he answered. _I'll have to make something up. I was good at that when I had an apprentice to entertain. _

The gray elder led him into a sandy dip in the ground, three other elders already sitting in the middle. Racestar bounded out and spoke to them, before stepping back onto the rock above the hollow. "Let all cats old enough to run the moors and dig the tunnels gather here for a clan meeting." As most the clan was already gathered below, it wasn't long before she spoke again. "It is the time of story-telling, but before we begin we have some good news." Racestar let her gaze rake across the clearing before she began the ceremony. "Two twin apprentices have completed their training, and it is time for them to receive their warrior names." Racestar beckoned two identical tortoiseshell apprentices. "Turtlepaw and Tortisepaw, are you ready for the responsibility of being warriors?"

"We are." The two answered simultaneously.

"Turtlepaw, you trained under Fleetbelly as a moor runner, you have shown courage and strategic thinking, and we welcome you as an official moor runner of WindClan. I hereby name you Turtlelight, for your intelligence and bright spirit."

"Turtlelight!"

"Turtlelight!"

"Tortisepaw, you trained under Poolpad as a tunneler, you have shown bravery and compassion, and we welcome you as an official tunneler of WindClan. I hereby name you Tortiseshimmer for your endless hope and optimism."

"Tortiseshimmer!"

"Tortiseshimmer!"

"Turtlelight and Tortiseshimmer, you may both be identical, but you are very different. You two will tell the first story of the night, and then you may take your silent vigil." Racestar was quiet for a moment, "We also have a visitor. Welcome Dark, who has travelled far, and has stories for us to share for the coming seasons on."

"Dark!"

"Dark!" The clan called, looking at him with interest. The same elder led him to the center of the group with the elders and two new warriors. "Welcome, Dark." One of the twins welcomed him.

"Oh, thank you…Turtlelight?"

"Right." She said, laughter in her eyes, "It's not often that cats can tell us apart, so don't worry about getting our names mixed up."

Dark nodded, as the elders came up to introduce themselves. "I am Primrose." The gray elder introduced herself. "Like you are, I was once a rogue. I joined WindClan after I visited and it was the best decision I ever made."

Dark nodded, _maybe I could stay here, too._ Dark sent the thought away. He would prove his innocence and return to ThunderClan. _Even though they banished you? _A voice in the back of his head asked.

"I am Buzzardfur." A brown elder tom introduced himself, "And he is called Spiderstorm." He pointed to the black tom behind him, "Spiderstorm cannot speak, but he is still some of the best company I have ever had."

Dark twitched his tail happily in response, he felt so welcome here, even more so than back in ThunderClan. Maybe…maybe he could stay here.

"Story, story!" the kits from earlier gathered themselves in the middle of the group and twined themselves around the tow newly-made warriors. "Turtlelight, you start." Tortiseshimmer told her sister, he eyes sparkling. "You're better at telling tales than I am."

"Okay." Turtlelight said, "What should I tell?" she asked.

"Tell them of the time you almost fell off Outlook Rock after I told you not to!" Fleetbelly laughed, "You got into so much trouble I can hardly believe you're still alive!"

A wave of laughter went through the gathered cats at the light-hearted banter between the mentor and his former apprentice.

"I know." Turtlelight made herself comfortable in the sand as she began to speak. "How about the time the badgers took the moors?"

When no cat objected Turtlelight began.

"So, there I was, only five-moons-old, sneaking out of the camp because I thought I could take the badgers on my own." She let her gaze meet the kits' before she continued. "I made it out just fine, no cat saw my pelt in the dark night. I didn't know where the badgers were, but I could follow the scent of blood and the reek of their fur…"

The story was compelling, or Dark enjoyed it at the least. The next few cats told their own stories, most mythology that Dark had heard back as a kit in ThunderClan. Luckily, when it had come around to his turn to tell, the kits had fallen asleep and the moon was at its highest point. Dark was escorted to the elders' den, which to his surprise lacked a roof. It was simply a soft bed of grass with sheep's' wool and gorse woven into nests. It wasn't exactly the moss and bracken of the ThunderClan warriors' den, but Dark felt it to be to his liking as he felt the warm wool and the comforting scent along with the soft snoring of the camp lull him into sleep.

Hi,

I see that my last Warrior's fic didn't get much attention, so I think I'll let it go to waste. However, I really like this one, so I'll let it go to the end unless something happens.

Enjoy!


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